


O Master Mine, Where Are You Roaming?

by stxrkgazing



Series: He Was Born Sick, But He Loves It. [1]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Stark Trek: Into Darkness
Genre: AGAIN MIND THE TAGS, Bottom Tony Stark, Clumsy Stalker Tony, Fluff, M/M, Mind the Tags, No Angst, No power AU, Okay just a bit of fluff but still fluff, Rhodey is worried and so done with Tony, Top Khan Noonien Singh, hint of unhealthy relationship, or so i thought, smitten Tony, stalker au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-28
Updated: 2020-04-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:13:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23891380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stxrkgazing/pseuds/stxrkgazing
Summary: Nothing serious, this is just a story about a clumsy smol bean stalker named Tony Stark and his target, the super cool chef at five-star hotel named Khan Noonien Singh.
Relationships: James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark, Khan Noonien Singh/Tony Stark
Series: He Was Born Sick, But He Loves It. [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1721956
Comments: 12
Kudos: 22





	O Master Mine, Where Are You Roaming?

**Author's Note:**

> For my baby darling Aurel, thank you for the prompt of a clumsy stalker. 
> 
> The title is from a line in Twelfth Night Act 2 Scene 3, by William Shakespeare, with the original line as _o mistress mine, where are you roaming?_ This is gonna be a series, though the following chapters are just drabbles of their daily activity. 
> 
> **Warning:** This may contain slight dark theme, though implicated. Stalking is bad, and I do not justify stalking. Just like if I write murder stories and I do not justify murder. If this theme trigger you, please back off. No one force you to read this fic, thank you.

It wasn't easy if Anthony Edward Stark had to pinpoint the exact time he ~~became obsessed~~ fell in love with Khan Noonien Singh. The first time his brown orbs caught the taller man, it felt like the gears in his brain either stopped or finally found the perfect gap to _click_. 

Khan was, as cliché as it sounded but Tony couldn't find another word, _perfect_. The man was a chef in a famous five-star hotel—Kamar-Taj, who also owned a small family restaurant—Enterprise, and seemed to be popular among his colleagues and customers. He lived alone in an apartment, a nice one—Tony noticed, and so far no signs of pet either. 

His routine, more or less, was waking up in the morning before sunrise, jogged around without music (who the hell jogged for one hour without music? Khan did), then going back to his apartment to get ready for work. It took only around thirty minutes until Khan appeared again, getting into his black Audi R8 Spyder, then heading to Kamar-Taj. 

He would spend his entire day working, until around seven at night he went back home. It was the end of the day, until morning came and everything repeated.

For six months it went on with 95% consistency. 

"You forgot to describe how _breathtaking_ he is."

Tony squinted his eyes towards his best friend, Rhodey, while his fingers kept going through the pages of his _Khan Journal_ . Rhodey was the only one Tony told about Khan, and his achievements of collecting Khan's pictures and schedules (routines). _It was stalking_ , Rhodey had ever scolded him but Tony insisted he wouldn't cross a line, begged Rhodey not to hate him (there was no way Rhodey could hate Tony anyway), and with that—the colonel let his brother in all but blood to continue the _hobby._

It was wrong, he knew, but he just had never seen Tony this happy ever since his parents died ten years ago when he was 20 and—and Rhodey just couldn't take the bright sparks of joy away from those hazel eyes.

"I thought you wanted the weekly report-sharing faster." Tony shrugged. "Okay, _so_ , he is still _breathtaking_ as ever. This morning I saw him in his grey tight sweater, black pants, and Jaeger-Lecoultre Polaris Memovox—" 

"You even know his watch?" 

"My camera is good, and I got the perfect angle. Wanna see?" 

"No, thanks, continue." 

"He's just—gorgeous. Black hair, blue-greenish eyes depends on the lightning, tall and slender but also muscular, deep voice, a controlled emotion—"

"You mean stoic." 

"Don't cut me off, Rhodey Bear. Now, where was I? Oh, right. Controlled emotion, charisma, and the way he walks? Like he owns the place, as if he leads everything around him." 

"Okay, I know you're whipped in a not-so-proper way, but still—be careful, okay?" Rhodey sighed as Tony closed the journal. "He just gives me some weird feeling."

"I know Platypus, I'll be fine. You feel weird because I observe him." Tony smiled, reassuring his best friend. He was about to put the journal back into his bag when he noticed something. For a moment he just stared at his opened brown backpack in silence, shoulders tense. 

"Tones?" 

"I think I dropped my handkerchief." 

"You what?" 

"The handkerchief that Pepper made for me." He gasped, looking at Rhodey in horror." _Fuck_ , I'm dead. I must have dropped it after I took the pictures, because I was in a hurry because I didn't want to lose Khan slipping into his car or someone caught me." 

Now Rhodey tried his best not to groan. "Tones, this is like, the tenth time in a week you either drop something, bump into something, or forget to turn off your camera sound." 

"Don't lecture me, and it's just the ninth. Don't exaggerate it." Tony huffed. 

_If you were not my best friend—_ but no, Rhodey loved the man with facial hair and neat goatee before him so much to say that. No matter how exasperated he was seeing him in moments like this. "Okay, now go back and hope no one takes it." 

"Yeah, better go now. See you soon, Honeybear!" Tony quickly shoved his journal into his backpack, zipped them and rushed to Khan's apartment tower. 

* * *

The handkerchief was still there. 

Tony felt his shoulders loosened up and finally could breathe again. Pepper was one of his best friends, a sister figure, and though she would only lecture him about being careless, Tony knew deep down she had to be disappointed. Nope, there was no way he would let his best friend get disappointed in him. 

He checked his belongings once again after putting the handkerchief in his pocket this time (why didn't he put it in his pocket from the first time? _Tony_ —) before checking his wrist. Four o'clock—but today was Wednesday, which meant Khan would visit his own restaurant, Enterprise, in thirty minutes if nothing emergency occurred. 

Perfect. Tony was in the mood for pasta. 

He quickly turned around and bumped into someone's chest. 

_Now it makes tenth_ , he cursed. He immediately stepped back and looked up, ready to give his apology when—

_O shit._

"Please forgive me." He blurted out. And he wanted to scream after that because what the fuck was that line? Yes he was nervous, but still—the idiocy.

It was completely justified when Khan just stared down at him either in confusion or cringe. Though thanks to his controlled emotion ( _stoic, Tony_ ), the brunette had no idea what the other man was thinking. Anyway, Tony wanted to disappear both from the world and Khan's memory right now. 

"It's fine. You were the one who hit pretty bad on the face. Are you alright?" Khan finally broke his silence, and Tony nearly melted at his voice. Plus, he asked if he was alright when clearly Tony was the one who bumped into him. 

"Yes, yes— it hurt but fine, thank you. Are you alright?" 

"Peachy." Khan didn't smile, but Tony still wanted to melt at the response. 

"Okay, good. Great." 

Then, silence. Khan looked at his wrist before shoving a key chain with two keys he was holding all the time into his pocket. He took out a car key after that.

"Yeah. I have to go now, hope your nose is fine." 

"Right—thanks—"

Tony watched the other man get into his car, who parked not so far from the apartment main lobby, then drove off. Honestly, Tony started to consider Rhodey's opinion about him not so talented as a stalker. How did he not notice Khan's car? 

"At least I'm good at collecting information, though leaving traces everywhere." He mumbled, sighing and was about to walk away when a flash of light on the ground caught his attention. He looked down, looking carefully at the shining thing.

A key. 

A fucking key. 

A fucking apartment key—it was this apartment's building key. Tony had seen every resident of this apartment building using a key like that, silver key with the apartment's logo on the head. Did Khan drop this? But Tony saw him shoving his apartment keys—

—into his pocket roughly, in a hurry, before taking out a car key in the same manner. 

Right. 

It was decided, today was people-get-hurried-and-drop-their-important-belongings day. 

Tony bent down to take the key, couldn't help but keep smiling like an idiot. This had to be his spare key or something, because he clearly saw the key Khan usually used safe in the key chain. He thought Khan was an organized person, calm and steady.Careless was the last thing Tony expected from the raven guy. Well, people made mistakes—either once, twice, or thrice. 

Though the one Khan made today was pretty fatal. Perhaps Tony would keep the key for a while, just in case. 

* * *

It had been three days since Tony took the key. He had been contemplating all these times, and as much as he would love to have an access to Khan’s apartment, he admitted it was creepy and totally wrong. He had promised not to cross the line, and he wouldn’t be starting to. He didn’t tell Rhodey this time, because—he had crossed the line, a bit. He should have returned the key right away, not keeping it for three days like keeping a memento. And that was why he was standing in front of Khan's apartment for five minutes.

It was such a fortune not having anyone finding him freezing in place just like a stalker, which he actually was. 

“Alright, it’s not too late to do the right thing.” Tony encouraged himself. The white door did tempt him so much that the mailbox didn’t look that interesting anymore. 

His heart was beating fast, and his mind whirled around. He could take a look a bit, then leaving like nothing happened, but he shouldn’t do that. What he should do now was put the key into the mailbox, then leave like nothing happened. 

However, Saturday was Khan’s most busy hour; that man could stay at the hotel until nine o’clock. 

_Today was the perfect day if I wanted to be reckless_. 

Taking a deep breath, Tony slid the key into the keyhole. 

_Tony, stop, you shouldn’t be doing this, oh my God_ —

A click heard, then the door opened. 

— _oh my God I’m doing this._

“Okay, just a little peeking and then leave.” He muttered to himself, more like begging himself to. 

Opening the door slightly wider, Tony stepped in and looked around. The room was just like he had expected—minimalist, organized, a resemblance of Khan’s personality. He went further, letting the door open slightly so he had the reason to remind his brain to get out, because the door was calling him. It was just some short of suggestion, but hoped it would work so he wouldn’t lose himself there until Khan got back from work. 

Another click sound. 

It took two seconds for Tony to register the sound of the shutting door. 

“Welcome to my house, stalker.”

He didn’t dare to turn around.

“I’m sorry.” He eventually did, nevertheless. It was like ice ran through his veins, his shoulders tensed and so did his head. Why was Khan here? He should have been working right now—oh, Tony didn’t spy on him these past days due to his concern and internal conflict about the key. “Are you—are you calling the police?”

Khan still stood in his place, this time in front of the door while simply looking at Tony. “Depends on what you will do next.” 

“So if I go away right now, you won’t call the police?” 

“I expected you to convince me more rather than telling you’re going home straight away.” 

_Right. Tony, how smooth, you stupid stalker. Let’s stop stalking after this, I’m not good at this_. 

Khan snorted at the lack of response, making Tony jolted slightly for being pulled away from his train of thoughts out of blue. The taller man walked towards him, afterwards passed him just like that. Like Tony was not someone who just broke into his house. 

“Let’s talk over tea and cakes. I’m hungry.” Khan said before disappearing into the kitchen. 

Tony blinked a few times, mouth slightly opened as his brain to catch what was happening at that moment. Did Khan just—invite him to have an afternoon tea with him? A stalker, someone who—was Khan okay?

“Not a bad idea. . . I guess?” 

Was this for real? 

Was this even real?

Tony pinched his wrist hard with his nails. _Fuck, that hurt_.

* * *

Khan was unexpected, full of surprises. He was calm, steady, yet careless, and perhaps also didn’t really give a shit to anything. Tony couldn’t guess what the other man was thinking, but the blueberry almond cheesecake was so so good. 

“I made this.” Khan said, slicing his own cheesecake and having a bite. “I was considering putting this on my restaurant’s menu within next week.”

“Oh, please do. This is amazing.” Tony beamed upon the idea. 

“So I suppose you also know my restaurant.” It was more of a statement rather than question. 

“Enterprise, isn’t it?” Tony answered carefully.

Khan nodded. 

“My turn. Why did you do this? I mean, the cake is wonderful, and I like the tea—if you don’t mind telling me where you bought it later—but inviting _me_ to your little mad tea party? Are you out of your mind?” 

“That sounds a bit weird, coming out from a stalker who decided to get into someone’s house without any plan nor making sure the house is empty.” Khan retorted calmly, still digging into his cake. 

“Thank you for reminding me of what an idiot I am.” Tony smiled in a sarcastic way.

“You’re welcome.” 

Tony held himself from groaning. Khan was acting a bit of an ass, but Tony still loved hearing the other man’s voice and melted at each word coming from him. He wanted to tell Khan how much he adored him, probably wouldn’t talk about his huge crush on the taller man but certainly would tell him that Tony would do anything to make Khan happy. 

Including stopping stalking him after this. _Damn that would be hard but he would_. 

“I know you’re harmless, that’s it. Also, what the worst could happen for inviting someone over afternoon tea?” Khan continued. He put down his utensils on the plate, as he had finished his cake. 

Tony wanted to let out a long exasperated sigh. Was this what Rhodey felt whenever he faced Tony talking about Khan? Probably, probably. “Mr. Singh—”

“Khan is fine.”

“Okay, Khan—I _could_ have murdered you what the fuck?”

“As I said, I know you’re harmless. Clumsy? Very. Harmless? Impossible is an understatement.” Khan shrugged.

“ _Excuse me?_ ” Tony nearly glared now. The last bite of his delicious cheesecake prevented him. 

“I stand by what I said.”

“I know breaking into someone’s house without a plan is idiot, but I’m not that idiot! Well, not always. In short, I still could have hurt you.” Tony sighed, crossing his arms. 

“Did you notice that the day you bumped into me you accidentally hit a butterfly hovering near you too until that poor little thing fell down?” 

“Oh _no_ , did I? Did it die?” He quickly dropped his hands onto the table, leaning forward with concern all over his face.

Khan smiled, and Tony was distracted by what he saw (too gorgeous, too beautiful) before his brain caught what Khan was doing. Blood rushed into his face, and he decided to send his best glare now.

  
  
“It was a _butterfly_ , what were you expecting me to say?” He defended himself.

“Right, harmless, just like you.” Khan was still smiling, nodding affirmatively. 

Tony gaped at the comment because, one—did Khan just indirectly say Tony was like a butterfly? That was sweet and melting and—okay, enough. Two—that was a checkmate, Tony couldn’t say anything anymore after that. Not like he couldn’t hurt people, he _could_ —maybe. Was disappointment counted as hurt?

The grandfather clock chimed before he could think even further. It was unforeseen finding out Khan had a grandfather clock in his modern minimalist apartment. Almost everything in Khan’s apartment was in white or soft cream color theme, and the clock was no exception. It was painted in broken white. 

“Five o’clock.” Khan out of blue commented. 

“Yeah, I think it’s time for me to go back. Thank you for the tea and cake, and. . . for not reporting me to the police.” 

“It was unnecessary.” Khan looked at Tony. 

“Yeah, please, no more saying that I’m harmless before I hit your pretty face with my fork.” 

Khan smiled again, and seriously—Tony would have had a heart attack soon, if his heart didn’t literally melt before. 

“Okay, so—uh, thanks again. I won’t bother you anymore. Except for the restaurant, I will be there genuinely for the food.” He was a bit reluctant seeing Khan didn’t even move for an inch, but seeing the other man had dropped his smile, Tony took it as a silent approval. It was fine though if Khan didn’t want to escort him, more understandable, even. 

Or not. 

Anyway, Tony didn’t mind going back alone. He was about to take the dishes but Khan raised his hand, didn’t say anything, before putting it down onto the table again. Tony gulped. Okay, that was his cue to leave as soon as possible. That man didn’t want him to linger any longer, even just for helping him doing the dishes. 

“Okay, bye Khan.” Tony headed towards the front door straight away this time. He checked his belongings again one more time, making sure he didn’t leave anything behind, before his right hand reached out the knob.

It was when he turned the knob several times and confusion washed all over him. 

The door was locked. 

He thought the knob might have stuck, but he had tried to turn it a few more times, and the movement was smooth. Except he could feel the lock, keeping the door shut tight. Why? The door couldn’t be opened from the outside without the key, Khan didn’t need to lock the door. Except he wanted to lock out another unexpected intruder, but he should have left the key for that, or else it would be useless to lock the door. Hold on.

_Clumsy? Very. Harmless? Impossible is an understatement._

How could Khan conclude that Tony was very clumsy?

_Right, harmless, just like you._

How could Khan possibly know Tony didn’t like violence that even a butterfly getting hurt could make him worried?

_It was unnecessary._

Tony practically was talking about three things—going home, the cakes and tea, and the police. _Which one did Khan refer to?_

_Then, Khan smiled_. What if the smile meant. . . something else? 

Tony responded by thinking Khan was referring to the last one he mentioned, then Khan smiled. Khan didn’t say anything, just looking at him with his thin smile.

“Didn’t I tell you before?” Khan’s voice interrupted from Tony’s back. 

“Khan?” Tony turned away, finding the other man standing at the doorway to the main room. Khan was having that thin smile again. Tony was having ice run into his veins, and this time not only giving him cold but also freezing him. 

“Welcome to my house, Anthony.” Khan’s smile grew wider as he raised his right hand, holding the apartment key. 

Also, Tony had never mentioned his full name.

**Author's Note:**

> Now, who's the target and who's the hunter?:)


End file.
